China’s ABC bank orders 45 C919s

The Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) Financial Leasing Co. has placed an order for 45 Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC) C919s.

Including this order, COMAC has received 280 orders for the C919 from customers including Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, China’s Bank of Communications Financial Leasing Co., China Development Bank Leasing Co., ICBC Financial Leasing Co., China Aircraft Leasing Co. GE Capital Aviation Services and BOC Aviation 

Though most of the aircraft’s customers are domestic, COMAC VP Wu Guanghui said its negotiations with customers outside China are going “better than expected.”

The C919 entered the final design definition phase last year. Detailed design will be completed this year and the first flight is scheduled for 2014. Type certification is expected by 2016, followed by first delivery. By 2020, COMAC expects to produce 150 C919s annually.

Source: ATW